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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29752806">No Talking</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/OccasionalStorytelling/pseuds/OccasionalStorytelling'>OccasionalStorytelling</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Teen Titans (Animated Series)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Apprentice robin, Body Modification, Kidnapping, Manipulation, the apprentice - Freeform</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 22:49:18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,915</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29752806</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/OccasionalStorytelling/pseuds/OccasionalStorytelling</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>I always thought that if Slade were smart, he wouldn't have treated Apprentice Robin the way he did. He wouldn't have let him talk so much, he wouldn't have sent him to fight his friends right away, and he wouldn't have let Robin do anything that might inspire him to resist Slade's control. He would have found a way to keep Robin, at any cost.</p>
<p>This story describes the time frame from Robin's abduction to his rescue...if it had worked out slightly differently. Read the tags</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>49</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>No Talking</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Takes place in the Teen Titans show right after The Apprentice Part 1, replacing The Apprentice Part 2</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The Chronoton device turned out to be a bunch of blinking red lights. Cyborg should have been relieved, and he would have been, if he’d had any idea where Robin was. Robin turned off his locator (or had it turned off for him) and disappeared. They searched the sewers, but they didn’t find him. The Titans even managed to find Slade’s hideout, but it was emptied out, like nothing had ever been there at all. Robin was nowhere to be found.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>—————————————————</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Slade was smart, Robin had to give him that. The robots had started packing up the lair as soon as he’d busted in, like they already knew what was going to happen. Everything went just as Slade wanted it. Robin looked at the nano probes imbedded in his friends and agreed to do whatever Slade wanted.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Even if that means never talking to them again?” Slade asked, arms crossed.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Yes,” Robin said, through gritted teeth. He stared at the floor, fists clenched at his sides. It took all of his effort to restrain himself from attacking Slade, but he would do whatever it took to protect his friends.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Be sure you know what you’re agreeing to,” Slade said. One of the robots whirred up behind him, holding a large knife. “I mean I when I say I don’t want you talking.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Robin swallowed thickly. He stared at Slade’s hand, finger still hovering over the button that would activate the probes. “I don’t have a choice, do I,” he said quietly, less of a question and more of an admission of defeat.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>They boarded a plane, and Slade offered Robin anesthetic. He took it, hating himself for the weakness, but it was preferable to the alternative. He woke up in a different country, his tongue cut out of his mouth.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>—————————————————</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The Titans scoured all of Jump City. They tore through the Hive Academy, they found every large or small time villain around and forced them into the open. There was no sign of Slade anywhere. He’d completely vanished. He’d gotten everything he’d ever wanted.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>—————————————————</p>
<p> </p>
<p>One month later, Robin was getting used to the rhythm of the missions, stealing tech and weapons from any lab Slade decided to send him. Slade had been <em>very </em>smart. Robin had nightmares about the day he’d have to fight one of his friends for the first time, but Slade ensured that it never happened. Robin fought strangers, and after a while, all their faces began to blur together. He reminded himself that what he was doing kept the Titans alive and safe back in Jump City.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>—————————————————</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“He’s somewhere,” Cyborg growled, slamming his fist on the computer console. “If he was dead, we’d know it by now.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“We don’t even know who Slade is, how would we know if he’s dead?” Beast Boy asked.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“He doesn’t mean Slade,” Raven said.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Starfire left the briefing room with a brave face. Cyborg knew she’d be back in an hour or two, arms full of stress-baked Tamaranian treats. The others followed her out, but he stayed focused. He kept searching. He’d go through every bite of data on the entire internet if he had to, but he <em>would </em>find Robin.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>—————————————————</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Robin attacked Slade. It was a moment of weakness, frustration about being stuck as a hostage for so long, and as soon as Slade twisted his arm so hard it broke, Robin realized what he’d done. If there was ever a moment Slade would push the button and kill the Titans, it was then, but Slade just laughed.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He patted Robin on the head. “Excellent form. You really <em>are </em>improving, as I know you would. You may have the night off to heal.” Slade disappeared into the shadows of the base. Robin sat on the floor and cradled his broken arm. So the Titans would live another day, no thanks to Robin. He had to stay. He had to do what Slade wanted. He had to protect his friends.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The robots with their blank, circular faces walked around Robin where he sat on the floor. None of them volunteered medical care. Neither did Slade. The next day, Robin went out on another mission, hoping he wouldn’t hurt his arm any further with the exercise.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>—————————————————</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Batman came to Jump City. He was a quiet, dark hero. He didn’t talk much, but he listened to everything the Titans could tell him about Slade. He searched the city for days. A few of the Titans’ villains ended up in the hospital. Then Batman disappeared back to Gotham.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Did you find anything?” Cyborg messaged him over and over again.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Working on it,” was the only response.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Cyborg went into the garage and screamed as loud as he could.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>—————————————————</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Robin got his comms device punched out of his ear on a particularly tough mission. Slade held up two small devices, and suggested they make a more permanent arrangement for communications. Robin resisted, and had to be held down by three of the robots. They held his eyelids open, and Slade forced Robin to watch a video screen of Titans Tower. Slade pressed the button, and even over the grainy video, Robin could see them twitching and squirming, skin red and orange.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Robin slumped in the robots’ grasp. He laid calmly face down on the lab table while a robot prepared the implants. He watched the screen as the Titans slowly recovered, started moving around again…he almost wanted to cry, he was so relieved.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Slade didn’t offer anesthetic this time. “It has been a long time since I’ve had to remind you of my power over your friends. The pain will be another reminder, of my power over you.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Robin stared at the screen and watched Starfire make breakfast and Beast Boy play video games and Raven meditate until Slade turned it off.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>—————————————————</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“It just doesn’t make sense,” Cyborg groaned. “Who attacked us? It doesn’t fit the MO of any of our villains.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I can’t detect a magical origin for it, either,” Raven shook her head.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Unless,” Starfire bit her lip. “You don’t suppose…Slade has learned a new trick?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Or what if he’s had it all along,” Beast Boy said, face going pale.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>—————————————————</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Robin didn’t know how long he’d been Slade’s apprentice, but it had been long enough for him to have his first kill. It was in self defense. A mission went sour, Robin had no choice but to kill or be killed. He closed his eyes, remembered that it was either this person’s life or all of the Titans’ lives, and he took the shot with a laser gun.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He went back to Slade’s hideout and threw up. Thankfully, Slade kept his distance, giving Robin some time to recover. They met up in the mission briefing room the next day.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I am proud of you,” Slade said.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Robin just glared back in response.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“We’ll find a more enjoyable kill for you,” Slade said. “Once you get the taste for it, it’s really not so bad.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Robin shook with anger, but he stayed put.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“There is a CEO whose company goes against my interests,” Slade said. “You will be pleased to learn that he mistreats his employees severely, but that will soon change.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Robin raised an eyebrow.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Assassinate him,” Slade said. “Details are on your implant.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Robin’s vision flashed blue, with a location, a date, and instead of a technology schematic, and name and a picture.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Him or your friends, Robin,” Slade said. Robin stormed out of the briefing room. He completed the mission. He told himself he could live with it. He hoped that was true.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>—————————————————</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The Titans fought a magnet-based villain, who seemed just as confused as them when his powers turned Beast Boy red and orange. Later, once the bad guy was in jail, Cyborg did an analysis. “You’re filled with nanoprobes, Beast Boy. We all are.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“This is how we were attacked last month,” Starfire clenched her fist, eyes glowing an angry green. “Can you remove them?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I can try,” Cyborg said.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>—————————————————</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Slade’s voice stopped coming over the comms. He was giving Robin more freedom to work alone, it seemed. And Robin was always successful, completing every mission—<em>both </em>kinds of missions, both thefts and assassinations. No one ever tracked him, no one ever stopped him… no one ever came for him.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>If anyone had been looking for Robin, they’d long since given up. Robin kept his head down, remembered that he was doing what he did to protect his friends, and followed the directions from the implant.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Slade stopped coming to the hideout. Robin assumed he was somewhere else, trying to take over the world. The robots weren’t very good company, but they were better than Slade. At least they didn’t try to touch Robin. They didn’t put a hand in his hair and say “excellent work” like it meant anything at all. Robin kept his head down and stayed focused on his missions.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>—————————————————</p>
<p> </p>
<p>After months of work, the Titans finally found Slade, and Slade finally made a mistake. The battle at the White House was world-shatteringly horrible. Even the Justice League came. At the end of it all, that half-black half-orange mask lay cracked and destroyed on the ground amid all the debris.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“It’s over, Slade.” Cyborg held his sonic cannon inches from his face. The other Titans stood behind him, backing him up. Raven’s hands oozed black magic, Starfire pulsed with green fire, and Beast Boy was a growling lion. Slade coughed blood onto the ground.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Where’s Robin,” Cyborg growled, turning up the power on his weapon. Slade laughed and laughed, laughed as he was arrested, laughed in jail, laughed whenever anyone tried to talk to him. Cyborg had fantasies about putting a metal foot through his stupid laughing head, but that wouldn’t bring Robin back.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Friends, we will find him,” Starfire said. “We are closer than ever.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Let’s start dismantling his organization. Robin is somewhere inside,” Raven said.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Are you in, bro?” Beast Boy asked.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I’m ready,” Cyborg said.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>—————————————————</p>
<p> </p>
<p>This mission was simple. All Robin had to do was steal a particular weapon, some kind of EMP device. If he played his cards right, he’d be in and out, and nobody would even detect his presence. He slipped quietly through the vents and into the right room. The weapon was small and round, hidden away in a safe. Robin cracked his knuckles and got to work on the lock. Then the front door blasted open.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Stop right there.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Robin froze. That voice…it was impossible. Not Cyborg, not here—</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Robin! Is that you?” That was Starfire.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Robin slowly turned his head. All four of the Titans stood in the room, ready for a fight. Robin clenched his fist as tight as he could, trying to stay focused.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Robin, we’ve been looking for you everywhere! Are you okay?” Starfire let the green fire out of her hands, and dropped to the floor. She took a tentative step closer to him.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The lock on the safe clicked open. Robin grabbed the device and shoved it into a pocket, then stood and braced himself for a fight.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The nightmares about this moment had never really stopped, and now here he was, facing it in real life. He’d imagined how it would play out, worried about getting a kill order from Slade over the comms implant… but Slade was quiet, had been for a while. And Robin already had the weapon, so if he could just get out of here—</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Um, Robin?” Beast Boy cocked his head sideways.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Switch to pattern gamma two,” Cyborg said, activating a panel on his arm.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Gamma two. They were going to capture him. They were going to try, at least. Robin reached into his belt and pulled out one of Slade’s laser guns. He fired it into the ground in front of the Titans, creating a smoke screen. Then with his other hand, he fired a grappling hook, aiming for the vent he’d used to come in.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He flew up towards it, when Starfire’s energy blast crashed into the line, and he fell back to the floor. Beast Boy turned into an octopus, and grabbed at him with his tentacles, but Robin was too fast. He backflipped out of the way and managed to land a kick to Beast Boy’s face as he headed for the vent again.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Azarath Metrion Zinthos!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Robin didn’t make it to the vent. His chest went black as Raven’s power took hold of him. He twisted as much as he could and threw a Slade-erang back at her. It exploded with concussive force and she groaned in pain, releasing him. He swung back up towards the vent and made it inside. He crawled down it as fast as he could, dodging starbolts and Cyborg’s cannon blasts as he went. He finally made it to the outside of the building. He braced himself against the wall and shoved, throwing himself into the night, when Beast Boy in the form of a gorilla slammed down on him from above. They fell to the ground, and Robin hit it first. Hard. He hit Beast Boy as hard as he could—<em>please go unconscious please go unconscious—</em>and tried to escape but the rest of the Titans had already made it outside too.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Robin dodged left to escape a starbolt, then right to avoid Raven’s magic, and somehow walked right into Cyborg’s trap. An energy cage emerged out of the ground, trapping Robin inside. They’d updated gamma two since he’d left. Robin struggled and fought against the bars. He even activated the EMP weapon, which made the bars glitch out for two seconds, but not enough time for Robin to get out. They’d caught him.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Robin knew Slade was monitoring his vitals. He’d fought as hard as he could, and he desperately hoped Slade would realize that. He could still be a good apprentice. He could escape, and Slade wouldn’t activate the nanoprobes, and the Titans would get to live. Robin would prove that he was trying as hard as he could to escape. He turned on every weapon he had, and he used up all of his energy until he could barely move any more. It took a long time. He’d built up a lot of endurance. The Titans kept trying to talk to him, but Robin wouldn’t listen. They were just distractions, and they could never understand that he was doing this for <em>them, </em>so they would be safe.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Finally, he was too weak to move. Slade would be able to tell, Robin was sure of it. Robin all but collapsed on the floor of the cage. Cyborg said something, and maybe it was directed at Robin, but he wasn’t listening. He’d sleep, regain some energy, and then when he was awake, he’d try to escape again. That was the only way to make sure the Titans would be safe.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>—————————————————</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I…I’m not sensing that he’s being mind controlled,” Raven said.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“And I’m not picking up any tech that could be controlling him either,” Cyborg said quietly. They’d loaded the cage and unconscious Robin onto the Titan Jet. Robin was slumped over, wearing a black and orange suit they didn’t recognize. He was sleeping, or at least faking it enough to fool them.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“We must talk to him,” Starfire said, biting her lip.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“We can’t, he’s unconscious,” Beast Boy gestured.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“When he wakes,” Starfire said.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“If he listens,” Cyborg said. “It’s been six months… Do you think he’s—never mind.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The Titan Jet flew quietly through the sky, back towards Jump City.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>—————————————————</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Robin woke up and found himself tied to a chair in a white room. It wasn’t rope, it was some kind of cable, too tight for him to break, and he couldn’t worm out of it, either. He looked around, trying to get some kind of clue about where he was, and he saw familiar lines in the metal walls… Titans Tower. So he really <em>had </em>got himself good and properly captured. He flexed his muscles as best he could and started struggling against the restraints, giving it all his effort.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The door opened. Robin didn’t let it distract him. Slade was monitoring his vitals, and Robin needed to <em>prove </em>he was doing his best to escape, or the Titans would all die. Cyborg came inside.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Mornin’, Robin,” Cyborg winced awkwardly. “How are you?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Robin didn’t answer. He did his best not even to look at Cyborg.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“If you’re worried about Slade, he can’t hurt you in here,” Cyborg said gently.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Robin ignored him. It wasn’t himself he was worried about. Cyborg had no idea, none of them did. At any second, Slade could destroy all of them with a push of a button, and Robin would be powerless to stop him. So Robin kept trying to escape, struggling feebly against the restraints binding him hand and foot to a chair bolted to the floor.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Cyborg said more things, but Robin didn’t listen, he just kept struggling and trying to escape. Cyborg didn’t <em>look</em> like he was being destroyed by nanoprobes, so Robin’s escape attempts were appeasing Slade, and the Titans would get to live a little longer.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>—————————————————</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Robin woke up and he was still tied to the chair in Titans Tower. He didn’t remember falling asleep. He strained and pulled against the restraints as hard as he could, but he wasn’t going anywhere. He looked up. Cyborg, Beast Boy, Raven, and Starfire all stood in the room in front of him, staring down at him.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>They looked good. They’d kept up their training while he’d been gone. Clearly, they were still the best of the best. It made Robin proud, in a distant kind of way.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Robin, talk to us,” Starfire said.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“We just want to help,” Raven said.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“We know that Slade planned all of that stuff with the Chronoton bomb just to kidnap you,” Beast Boy said.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“We finally found you,” Cyborg said. “We’ve been looking for you for months, ever since you went missing.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>No talking. Slade had made that <em>very </em>clear. Robin kept his face as neutral as he could, trying not to respond in <em>any</em> way Slade might construe as communication.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“It’s all going to be okay,” Starfire said. She came closer to the chair, close enough that Robin could grab her, if he wasn’t tied up. “We know about the nanobots.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>That was enough to startle Robin. He looked up at her in confusion. They knew? But how?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“We’re all clear,” Cyborg said. “We’ve been clear for two months. I rigged a device that eliminated them. We’re safe.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Robin sagged in the restraints. He wished they’d led with that information when they captured him. They were safe. There was no more magic button that could kill them all instantly as soon as Robin messed up. He could finally relax, even just a little bit.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Slade’s in prison,” Raven said.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>So that was why he hadn’t communicated with Robin in a while. Robin wanted to cry, he felt so relieved Slade was incapacitated. But that meant he’d just been going on missions like one of Slade’s robots, never even realizing what had been going on back home. He felt sick to his stomach. How many assassinations had he carried out since the button had been deactivated, or since Slade had gone to prison?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“So…are we all good, buddy?” Beast Boy asked.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I can take off the restraints if you’re not going to try to attack us,” Cyborg said.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Robin nodded, gratefully. Cyborg pushed a button and the metal wires twisted away and out of sight. Robin felt at his wrists and looked up at the Titans. Months under Slade’s control, and he was finally back home. It felt like a dream. It felt like a nightmare.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Robin?” Starfire asked. “You are not speaking…”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Robin slumped his shoulders. The Titans had no idea what he’d been through. He didn’t want them to know. They’d just blame themselves for not saving him sooner.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Let’s get you checked out,” Cyborg said. “Can you walk?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Robin nodded. They escorted him to a spare room, made up like a hospital with wires and screens for lab results. Robin climbed into the bed. It was soft…and cozy. This was the first time he hadn’t been on high alert in months. Slade was in prison, his friends were safe…he fell asleep with a smile.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>—————————————————</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Raven held her hands over Robin as he slept, scanning with a thin black line down his body. “Ear…mouth…arm…” she called out body parts, then Cyborg came over with a medical scanner.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“He’s got implants, one in each ear. It looks like they carry communications signals,” Cyborg frowned. “Mouth…I can’t see what’s—” Cyborg froze, staring down at the screen.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“What’s wrong, bro?” Beast Boy asked.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“He’s got no tongue,” Cyborg said quietly. The room was deathly quiet as he moved the scanner further down. “This just looks like a broken arm that healed wrong. Nothing too urgent anywhere else, either.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“He’s…” Starfire couldn’t find the right words. “He’s hurt,” she settled on. It didn’t convey all the emotion, all the weight of what she was feeling, but nothing would even come close.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>—————————————————</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Robin woke up. For a moment, he tensed up, ready for a fight. The bed was too soft, the light was too bright, he wasn’t—then he remembered where he was. Slade was in prison, and Robin was back in Titans Tower. He almost wanted to laugh with joy.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Uh, hey there,” Cyborg said awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck. “How are you…doing?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Robin shrugged. He was probably fine now, right?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“So, um…I was thinking of trying to remove your implants, if that’s okay?” Cyborg said. “Is there a bomb on your anywhere that we can’t scan for?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Robin wasn’t sure. Slade had never mentioned one, if that was the case. He shrugged again.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Can you…talk?” Cyborg asked.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Robin opened his mouth. Presumably Cyborg could see the answer for himself.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Can you sign?” Cyborg asked.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Robin shook his head. When Slade had said “no talking,” he’d meant it. There was no point in giving Robin any form of communication, because it wasn’t like he could refuse a command…just like one of the robots. It made Robin shiver just thinking about it.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Want a pad and paper?” Cyborg asked.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Robin nodded. Cyborg handed it over. Robin took the pen, trying to still the shaking in his hand.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“So…welcome home,” Cyborg said, smiling weirdly. “Anything you’d like to say?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Robin couldn’t get a good grip on the pen. It kept slipping out of his hand when he tried to write with it. He was shaking, hard. This wasn’t fair. He knew how to write, he <em>knew </em>he knew how to write…the words didn’t come. Robin angrily threw the pen into a wall, where it stabbed into the concrete and left a crack. Robin winced. He tried to look apologetic, as Cyborg tried to pretend he hadn’t noticed.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“No problem,” Cyborg said. “So…implants. Should I try to take them out?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Robin nodded, and turned over onto his stomach so Cyborg would have better access.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Oh, um, right now. Okay,” Cyborg said.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Robin closed his eyes as Cyborg collected the tools he would need. When Cyborg tried to inject anesthetic, on instinct Robin swiveled and grabbed his hand, before he remembered where he was. He clenched his fists and tucked them underneath him, trying not to move.</p>
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